and the cavalry brigade operating against Strumitsa and another one consisting of the 1st, 6th and 7th divisions tasked with demonstrative actions in the Rupel Gorge. The numerical superiority of the Greeks and their artillery proved decisive and on 26 June they took Strumitsa outflanking the Bulgarians at Ruppel and forcing their retreat. The Second Army, however, prevented a disaster by managing to hold its positions long enough for the 4th Army to conduct its own retreat. The Serbians and the Greeks now established direct contact with each other and planned a joint offensive, hoping to link up at Tsarevo Selo and destroy the Bulgarian 4th and 2nd armies. The Serbians were to attack at Kalimantsi while the main forces of the Greek Army – 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Division – was to advance against Gorna Dzhumaia with the remaining divisions covering their flanks. The Bulgarian Second Army was in no condition to hold the Greek advance as it had suffered heavy casualties in the previous battles and a cholera outbreak further reduced its strength. In addition, the news of the Romanian and Ottoman mobilization reduced the morale of the soldiers. Under such conditions by 11 July the Greek forces had managed to advance up to the northern exit of the Kresna Gorge but the decisive victory they had planned was not achieved as the Serbians were defeated at the Battle of Kalimanci and the Greek forces themselves had overextended their supply lines. The Bulgarian Second Army managed to conduct a fighting retreat, reaching height 1378. On 15 July that positioned was abandoned and the forces retired north Gorna Dzhumaia where the front finally stabilized. The Bulgarian High Command now planned to go on the offensive against the Greeks for the first time since the beginning of the war. The Bulgarian 4th and 5th armies had been placed under the overall command of general Mihail Savov and on 14 July the Second Army was also added to the army group. the defeat of the Serbians allowed the Bulgarians to concentrate large parts of the 4th Army, the entire 2nd Army and fresh units of the 1st Army against the Greek Army. General Savov could count on 110 battalions, 10 squadrons and 40 artillery batteries against the 84 battalions 12 squadrons and 37 artillery batteries of the Greeks. The plan was to pin down the Serbian armies in front